Saturday, January 12, 2013

Al's sausage

Frequent Owner's Manual visitor Al the Retired Army Guy has delivered unto me this photo of his sausage, shaped no less into my own initials, EOB.

Here in Cleveland, we have a lot of sausages and believe me, I've got my
share of sausage experience and then some. I know a righteous sausage
when I see one and Al's sausage is top notch.

Al the Retired Army Guy

Look at the way the flesh fills the casing--it's stuffed to the perfect consistency. Al's sausage also has a lovely sheen and a respectable girth, which matters more than people think. That there is one long
tube of quality. It may be the most beautiful sausage I've ever seen.

I picture Al's sausage framed by glistening threads of sauerkraut or nestled in a cozy bun with a thick bead of Stadium Mustard dressing its glorious length.

Any woman would surely admire such a sausage. I daresay
plenty of men would envy this hefty coil. It is a fine sausage of which Al should be proud. To
that end, Al should display his gorgeous sausage for all the world to
enjoy.

Thank you readers. Thank you Lord. Most of all, thank you Al, for allowing me to be part of your sausage's debut.

I was a bit confused when I saw the photograph of Al's charcuterie skills. That strip of orange made me wonder why the sausage was being displayed on a Little Ceasar's box.

Al, your kitchen shot made me wonder about commercial kitchen nomenclature. Say you were back there in the kitchen expediting things on a busy night, and your sous chef, saucier, and broil chef all called off one night, so you were forced to supervise every aspect of back-of-the-house operations alone. Would that situation be called 'one toque over the line'?

Sorry. I know, I know, and I'm sorry but I couldn't resist that line. Regulations on puns should be enforced a little more strictly.

Erin, point well taken on that fine job of filling the casings all the way. I would think that everyone here will agree that thereis nothing more aggravating or useless than a wrinkly weenie. The ladies especially.

And I just need to say: nobody has shot anybody all up in this here post; see?, sausages CAN remove the angst that too often precedes the sniping to which we, as a culture, have become far too accustomed.

Silpats are indeed tough to wash. I normally just lay mine flat in the sink, or, in a professional kitchen, against the side of a three hole sink and use lots of soap and hot water Usually does the trick.

Is there any product type that one is not SUPPOSED to use on a silpat? Degreaser-type products? 'Cuz while I love the concept, it was the stickies/greasies experience i had with my first and only ownership of a silpat baking sheet that made me back away and return to traditional tools.